HOW DO I KNOW IF I WANT TO JOIN HUB VELO CYCLING CLUB?

You can come along as a guest on one of our regular Saturday club rides. We meet at the Hub Velo HQ at 8.45am. We welcome new riders to join us as a guest for up to three club rides. After that, you’ll have to become a member to carry on riding with us.

What's the culture at Hub Velo like?

Hub Velo CC wants a culture where all members feel welcome, included and that they belong. We aim to cultivate an environment where our members are safe from harm and abuse. We respect and celebrate all our members for who they are and what they bring to our club. We aim to make all members feel empowered to play their part in the club and join in and initiate club activities.

Hub Velo CC is fully committed to equality. We will ensure that no member or volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of a protected characteristic. Protected characteristics are disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, gender and age.

IS HUB VELO A GOOD CLUB FOR WOMEN?

Hub Velo Cycling Club is proud to be home to a diverse and active female membership base. We aim to provide an inclusive and encouraging environment for riders of all levels, from people who are looking to join a club for the first time to more experienced riders and racers looking for their next challenge.

How do I find out about the club rides?

Either pop into the shop in Clapton, drop us an email, send us a message on social media or just come along on Saturday morning. However, please do introduce yourself to someone in Hub Velo Kit and they will be able to point you to the right person.

How many different rides do you have

We have at least three group rides on Saturday mornings and one on Wednesday mornings. Our Saturday rides typically look like this:

• Double Espresso ride -90-120km+ @ 30-32km+ - Drop Ride
• Espresso Ride – 90-120km+ @ 28-30kmh - Drop ride
• Flat White Ride - 80-120km @ 26-28kmh - Non-drop
• Cappuccino Ride- 50-80km @ 24-26kmh - Non Drop
• Latte Ride - 50-70km @ 22-24kmh - Non-drop
• Nescafe - Off Road, CX and Gravel rides - Non-drop

On Wednesday morning there is a member-organised ride leaving the shop at 8am. The pace and distance is normally determined on the day.

Do you do Trial Rides?

Yes, Hub Velo does trail rides. These are held on a ad-hoc basis. Please email hello@hubvelo.cc to find it more information.

HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER?

If you've come out with us as a guest and want to join up, please do visit our membership page to find out more.

What benefits do I get with my membership?

Member benefits include a 15% discount in the Hub Velo shop, access to our range of club kit by Santini, an extensive calendar of social activities and events, complimentary Hub Velo cap and bottle and discounts with Laka bicycle insurance and local retailers!

How do I find out about weekly rides and club events?

Once you become a member, you’ll be invited to join our Whatsapp group via email where we make announcements about our rides, events or other news.

Do Hub Velo have ride Captains?

Yes, Hub Velo has a good range of experienced ride captains who create and lead the rides, and we’re always looking for new ride leaders to step up too!

How do I get Hub Velo Kit?

You can get Hub Velo Kit through this website, but we only open our shop twice a year in summer and winter. When it’s ready, it will be available for you to pick up at the Hub Velo shop.

Who do I contact if I need more information about the Kit?

Please contact someone on the Whatsapp chat or email hello@hub-velocc.co.uk

WHAT KIND OF Bike DO I NEED?

It's worth emphasising that we are a road cycling club. You're welcome to join one of our C rides on a hybrid to try us out, but you'll need to have a road bike to get the most out of riding with the club.

Do I need experience in group rides?

We follow the British Cycling approach, which is well demonstrated in their video on how to ride in a group. However, you will be able to learn from other members while on the ride.

All of the actions below will be communicated clearly by the ride leaders during the pre-ride briefing and throughout the ride.

The front pair set the distances and everyone else should follow suit to keep the group an efficient, cohesive unit and avoid issues of losing formation or confusing motorists.

This position, using most of the lane, helps to make sure drivers can only pass when it is safe to do so, instead of squeezing past at an inappropriate moment. Occasionally it may be necessary for the group to ride “tighter” – closer together or or even “singling out” as a result of busy main roads, dual carriageway, narrower roads, oncoming traffic or to let a car pass from behind.

As riders in a group we ask that you respect and support the decisions and guidance of the leader. If you have concerns about how a ride is being led then, when safe to do so, please raise your concerns directly with the ride leader.

If you still feel unable to follow the decisions/guidance of the leader we ask you to leave the ride as soon as it is safe to do so. Most issues can be safely resolved during a ride, however the ride leader can ask a rider to leave a ride and we expect that any request to leave a ride will be respected. If you need to leave a ride for any reason and are uncomfortable riding back on your own it is your responsibility to ask to be assigned a partner to ride back with.

Rest assured the vast majority of our rides take place without incident and are a safe way to learn group riding skills. As the club has grown we feel it important to produce policies and guidance such as this. Experience helps us learn together

DO I NEED TO WEAR A HELMET?

Yes, helmets are compulsory on all of our club rides.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?

You and your bike

Water (please make sure you have a bottle cage on your bike to hold your water bottle)

A gel or small snack (e.g. a banana or a flapjack)

A spare inner tube, tyre levers, tyre pump or gas canister

If the ride is stopping at a cafe, please bring money for coffee and cake etc

You shouldn't need panniers or a rucksack – try to get everything in your pockets or in a saddle bag if you can

You won't need to bring a big lock either. We always keep an eye on our bikes if we need to stop anywhere

Triathlon aficionados must please remove tri-bars! Time Trial bikes are not permitted on club rides

Please ensure you are able to use clip in pedals either SPD or SPD-SL. This will ensure you can keep up and stay part of the group.

Wear comfortable cycling or sports gear. You may want to bring a waterproof if it looks like it’s going to rain

Emergency Contact details. This can be on your phone, a specially printed card or just a scrap of paper. We hope that we’ll never need to use these but it will save time in an emergency if you carry these details on you.

DO I NEED INSURANCE?

We definitely recommend this whether you join the club or not.

Should I do a pre-ride check of my bike?

Yes, The video below is a great guide to how to give you bike a quick pre-ride check over. Although the video is 12 minutes long, once you’re familiar with the contents you can easily check you bike in just a couple of minutes.

Where do i find Hub Velo Policies?

You can find a link to the Hub Velo CC policies in the footer of all pages.